Severus and Lily a Revelation
by ratinthewood
Summary: An alternative account of what Severus found in the here after, and furthermore.. what was really behind that Prophesy? Spans a few genres, enjoy
1. Severus Surprised

_Oh hell..._

Thoughts filtered through the brilliantly aching mind of Severus Snape _..._ _what now? _

Quickly his hands moved to his neck, ah, no pain, no holes, no blood, so far so good.

_So I am dead. Yes, at last..._

The Potions Master sighed as golden waves of sweet relief rippled through, his body and mind relaxed for the first time in what must have been years. He ached. His bones ached, his hair ached. It wasn't as if he'd exactly been longing to die, it was just that he was simply bored of living and it being the only practical alternative he was ready and willing to give death a try.

Of course in life there had been no shortage of engaging challenges to keep him fully occupied. Being a former Death Eater, a Potions Master, a double agent spy between a dissembling manipulative ego maniac and an utter psycho - respective titles on occasion alarmingly interchangeable- and the secret sworn guardian of an irksome boy whom he would rather have dealt with in Death Eater mode, he had after all led an eventful life.

Never a dull moment, the only drawback to this being that for this particular Wizard almost every significant moment had been at best stabbingly painful or at worst a grinding sodding nightmare.

It was the monotony of the quality of experience- misery- that he was well and truly weary of. If emotions were an ass his was well and truly kicked.

_Death..._ Severus thought fondly... _nice bit of quiet._

_**Its over**_

Silver waves, ruby waves of relief. Warmly and gently his sinews cracked, tendons stretched, muscles softened.

He did not recognise the feeling in his body, it was like he imagined a strong stress relief potion would feel, if in life he could have taken one he would, but his mind had needed clarity at all times, hyper-vigilant, focused and crystal clear, all day, every day for years.

He had ventured a winsome yet speedily averted thought towards a sleeping potion after that downright God awful episode when the headmaster had informed him...not asked, informed _._..that he, lucky Severus was to have the honour of murdering him -impeccable Albus- hopefully in the most public place possible, so as to quash any doubts about the identity of his killer.

Severus Snape knew he would have got the blame even if he was five hundred miles away in a different time zone and able to supply Veritaserum plied witnesses..._ah well_.

He stretched.

_**It is all over**_

Shifting slightly, he felt his back propped up against what strangely felt like some kind of pole. He was at least no longer sprawled on the floor of that filthy shack,

'I knew that bloody place would be the death of me one day' he murmured, mildly surprised at the tenor of his voice which sounded somewhat, younger.

Too tired to investigate further Severus rested back and felt warm rays of sunshine dapple his dungeon paled skin, golden light seeped pinkly through closed eyelids... _I wonder, is it possible to get sun burnt in the afterlife?..._

At that strange thought a bizarre image formed in his mind of a long stemmed frosted glass containing a lurid blue liquid. Momentarily confused he quickly remembered Albus cheerfully handing such things out at one of his ''Muggle style' staff office beach parties'. They had been dreadful events he had been obliged to attend.

The Potions Master had point blank refused the drink not wishing to be seen dead holding such a ridiculous affair. But he _was_ dead now and there was no one around to see and Severus did rather fancy one. The glass floated, trickling condensation ran down the sides, sugar crystals glinted seductively about the rim. The cherries on vicious little sticks were rather nice but, he frowned, the imbecilic umbrella would have to go_. _

_Maybe if I focus hard enough I'll get one, _he wondered_, after all this is my party... thankfully with no guests..._

In his ear a voice whispered, 'Severus.'

Severus yelped as his eyes flew wide at the familiar voice, '...Shit!' He screeched as he met the emerald green gaze that had haunted him for years. Feet furiously back peddling him upright he grasped the metal pole as his knees buckled.

'What the _fuck_are you doing here?' Snape spat, pointing horror struck at..._her._

Lily Evans looked shocked, then coughed and frantically swiping away the gritty cloud his boots had kicked in her face managed to splutter,

'Cheers Severus, charming as ever, I've been waiting for you since I got blasted by _your mate_ the Snakey Git, and all you can do is swear at me. Nice one. '

_Oh hells tolling bells how long a woman will wait to get her revenge obviously surpasses even my liberal estimation..._

Hauling herself up Lily began to dust off her dress. She looked at him appraisingly,

'Wow that was some swift move you made for someone who's just carked it' she hacked.

'Thanks, but what did you expect!' hissed the panicked man,..._ what indeed did__** I**__ expect, a life fated where everything I touched turned to ordure, did I really expect it to end even_ _after my death... ? _But still he did feel a little put out.

'Well, I'll sadly admit it is not quite the greeting I had hoped for' murmured Lily, looking decidedly affronted, 'I take it you're not pleased to see me?'

_A severe understatement_...

And anyway where was he?_ Familiar... broken swings, a battered roundabout... oh great... _he surveyed the playground of his childhood with a grimace, he sniffed.

It still reeked of dog wee.

'Severus Snape, are you going to pull yourself together or shall I just go and leave you to self absorbed pity, so unlike you, of course'

_Oh –fuck- off..._His world weary eyes said it all but still a part of him flinched, no he did not want her to go..._she may not come back..._he just did not need what he knew must be coming.

A touch of humour played about her mouth as Lily pondered the black clad wizard standing glaring at her. With the tell tale peeking white collar and cuffs this was after all Severus Snape, brilliant proud and powerful, predictably unpredictable, guarded armoured and dangerous as a Horntail, heart soft as a peach and easily bruised. She knew this man. Anyways he'd only just died and exceptionally nastily at that. Softly,

'We need to talk.'

_Oh no...the_ very words that could strike terror into the bravest and most foolhardy alike_._ In his experience they had usually been followed up with words such as 'I need you to murder me' or even 'Now Severus about your hair.' The horror. He coiled, ready to run at any moment.

However much he felt he deserved it, was this not just a little ...off?

He knew very well that life was not fair, but that the _after_ life was to prove equally so had never occurred to him. It was disappointing. _Could not the ensuing wrath of a red haired banshee have been postponed for one moment while I enjoyed my death? Just one damn moment of peace and quiet? But oh no, lets get straight to it, no escape for Sevvy, it was going to be Severus you did this, Severus you did that, yak bloody yak, bad Severus, you bad man , until... the... end... of... time_...

Lily, her head tilted to one side stood in wonder and watched the grown man silently mimicking a telling off, _some things never change._ Mouth sneering, head wobbling, just as he had when they were young and he relayed to her the latest torrent of nastiness spewed forth by his father, and on occasions his mother. She shuddered at their memory. Gently,

'Severus,'

Warily eyeing the woman before him Severus stopped muttering. There was nothing for it but to get it over with, quickly. Sighing miserable resignation he drew himself up to assume a more dignified posture. He let go of the pole and shooting it a venomous look of distaste wiped his hands before folding them neatly at his waist. His eyes slid from side to side, marking his escape routes,

_Control your emotions, discipline your mind...damn..._ He blanched at the memory of the last time he'd used those words and the nauseating humiliation that ensued, he growled inwardly,

_The little bastard_._...I'd still like to..._

'Sev!'

Severus snapped his attention back and composing himself once more faced the woman who was without doubt about to give him hell.

_Here we go... But ah the sweet irony..._, his mind drifted.

Not minutes ago on the misinformed order of a jumped up wazzak he'd been attacked by a monstrous snake and then to cap it off that featherweight brained little sod Potter and his cavalry of chaos Weasley and Granger had witnessed his dribbling death throes. It was indeed hard to be such a picky stickler for appearances. Still he'd finished the job.

W_ow was that one rubbish death,_

At least he hadn't wet himself,

W_hilst I was alive...oh God was it possible that I..._ These things did happen, he'd seen it himself. He groaned out loud.

'**Severus!'**

Swiftly crushing the thought of posthumous humiliation he refocused on Lily, this was going to be worse than any snake, his shoulders swayed minutely. _Ok lets get this over with...be polite,_

Snape focused on a spot of thin air, his eyebrow rising fractionally,

'You will pray excuse my apparent lack of appreciation for this, ah, unexpected pleasure, but it seems I cannot escape a bollocking even after getting my throat ripped out. However as they say, I'm all ears'. He had at least tried. He snapped his gaze straight on her. Severus glared daringly.

Lily Evans looked at the tall gaunt, tired man standing before her. Those black eyes, angry solemn and dignified_. _Severus.

Severus Snape looked at her, watching as her green eyes were both smiling and deadly serious, a singular feat he remembered only she could pull off_, damn it,_ Lily.

They stood for a long while simply looking at each other. Neither one moved.

Time stilled.

The dust settled.

Lily Evans held his eyes. Quietly and slowly she said,

'Severus Snape you beautiful, beautiful man, I know what you're expecting me to say, but you are quite wrong, I am not angry with you'

.


	2. Lily?

'...I am not angry with you' she had said.

Severus Snape gaped at Lily Evans, stupefied. He had just heard the first statement that had truly astonished him in a long, long time, and goodness he had endured some drivel. He continued to gape.

Lily watched the wizard closely, wow, she'd never seen anyone's jaw drop that far before.

_Really? _He felt his mind racing_, Hmmm well, I suppose the feeble term _'_angry' wouldn't exactly cover it, ' nut busting fucking furious' was more fittingly prosaic...but in turn would still leave noticeable gaps..._

'Ah... excuse me?' Severus whispered narrowing his eyes to scrutinise the woman, if that indeed was what she, it, was. Carefully he waited for the catch. There were always catches, only a numbskull would have failed to pick up on that fact after half a lifetime around Dumbledore_. _She was still smiling.

He boggled.

If this was indeed Lily was she perhaps insane? Maundering around in a wee tainted playground would potentially unhinge the best of people, especially one with vengeance burning their mind. And she'd called him beautiful, _twice._

That sealed it.

He'd had enough live and up close experience with utterly nutterly Bellatrix to be very cautious around smiling mad women. Unease pricked the nape of his neck._ No sudden moves._ A mad woman that was already dead was a distinctly unknown quantity. Lilys smile broadened,

Severus took a stealthy step back.

'And I do not blame you Severus, for anything.'

Not to blame! Now he had all the proof he needed, this was not the real Lily. He and his big tittle-tattling blabber mouth had been the reason she and Toss Potter had been murdered, and her baby son only just escaped.

Blame! If the tables had been turned he Severus Snape would have found a way to reach beyond the grave and make the unfortunate culprits life a pure ravaged misery, but ..._that was what had happened wasn't it...clever woman._ The first thing to do was to find out the true identity of his opponent.

..._If this is a last little prank from Albus_..._Where is my wand..._

Swift as lightning Severus reached into his sleeve and drew his weapon.

'Now, I don't know who ...or indeed what... you... are' the furious Wizard sneered, dripping menace into every word, 'But you are stupid beyond reason if you consider yourself able to... toy... with me..._REVELIO_!' He flourished,

The spell shot out and caught 'Lily' square in the chest.

The only thing to change was her expression. The smell of burning fabric wafted.

'Oh for crying out loud Sev' Lily exclaimed, exasperated, 'I liked this dress!' she picked at some burnt threads.

'_REDIKKULUS!_'

Snape had relished blasting Boggarts ever since he'd over heard Mineva and Filius sniggering about how Longbottom the useless had dressed a Boggart of Snape himself in some old bags clothes

... _If only I could have blasted the idiot boy, or Lupin..._

still, it had been gratifying that he scared someone that much.

She remained Lily. Smoke curled.

'Severus Snape, I am not a bloody Boggart! But it is amusing that you would at this moment consider me to be your worst fear.' She sighed, 'But then I guess our deepest desires often are. Stop that nonsense right now, and put that damned thing away' she commanded, plainly narked.

Severus stood in disbelief. He lowered his wand, slightly. Almost inaudibly he whispered ,

'Then you must be crazy Lily, or you don't know what happened'

The grief in his voice was palpable_... And I don't want to be the one to fill you in..._

Lily stepped forward, Severus remained frozen. She stepped forward again. She continued to advance slowly only resting as the tip of his wand touched her chest. Lily laid her hand on his arm. She took the bleak angry gaze of the stricken young wizard into her eyes.

'That is exactly where you are wrong Severus, I know everything that _happened_ and quite a bit more. You see, I know _why_ it happened, I know why everything happened as it _did_'


	3. Midden of memories

'...I know why everything happened as it _did_'

Snapes jaw dropped again. Lily raised her hand and chucking under his chin snapped it shut, his teeth clicked.

'Ow!, my thungue'

'Sorry Sev, the moron look just doesn't suit you'

'Pftanks'

'Anytime' Lily let her hand drop back to rest on the Potion Masters arm, 'Now will you please put this away' she glanced at the wand still braced threateningly against her chest.

'Psthorry' Severus withdrew his wand and with a well practised flick stashed it up his sleeve. His arms dropped limply to his sides. Bending his head forward at an angle his eyes bored into hers,

'What were you psthaying?'

'First let me see that tongue'

'Mmmph!' He clamped his lips tight shut..._the indignity!...no one had seen his tongue since..that sadistic girl had told him she needed to see it before she let him... the flash of the camera momentarily blinding him he had just caught sight of her and her spotty friend as they disappeared sniggering around the corner. The photos had been all around the school within hours..._He winced. Still she had paid, they both had, there had been some perks to being a Death Eater.

'Open your mouth now Severus Snape, I'm not talking over matters with you lisping '

_Matters? _Curiosity got the better of him, it always had. He opened up warily. Blood trickled. Still half expecting his tongue to be tugged out at the root he narrowed his eyes. He braced.

'Oh what sharp teeth you have, a clean cut.' Lily pressed her finger to the bite, warmth spread over his tongue tip. Drawing out a singed hanky from her breast pocket she wiped the blood from his chin. Severus relaxed, the corner of his mouth raised a fraction.

'Right, I guess you have now ascertained that I am indeed Lily, correct?,' she grinned,' Or shall I relate embarrassing instances as proof of my veracity, for example, there was that time when I gave you a glass of orange juice and told you it was liquid gold and you...' she faltered at the look on his face.

That hurt..._ some party this is turning out to be...I only wanted a cocktail and what I get is... THIS._

'I'd never before seen or tasted anything like it. I was as you may say, _fair game,'_ Snape whiplashed, he drew himself up coldly, 'Desist, I believe you are who you are.'

'Oh Sev...I...oh God' she groaned, mortified. That was indeed stupid, she of all people should have known better, after all she'd been there when he'd returned from home the next morning with a black eye. _Tender as a peach...and the bruises never heal..._

'This really hasn't started very well, has it?' Lily rubbed a tired hand over her forehead.

The Wizard shook his head frostily. He eyed her narrowly. His jaw was tight, tendons taught, muscles clenched. As in life, so in death. Then strangely, curling through the mind of the unsuspecting man, its texture and tone utterly unfamiliar, an alien thought arose, it took form. It spoke,

..._I can't do this..._

A tiny 'ching' pinked in the centre of his chest.

Imperceptibly the tall formidable, inviolable, untouchable Potions Master faltered. The Severus Snape Mausoleum of Consummate Control had formed a hairline crack. He stepped back, heels scraping, two, three times. Grace itself in slow motion he bent his frame and sat on the bare ground. Gravel crunched. Severus clasped his thighs to his chest and bending his long neck rested his forehead on his knees. Long sleek black hair closed in a perfect curtain to obscure the light from his face..._Enough..._

Lily stood there frozen and watched the confused and frazzled Wizard as the fight left. She guessed what was happening, it was necessary, but so soon? He was indeed truly shagged.

Severus withdrew, closed down and searched his mind for a place to be alone, he had had enough. He drifted back to Hogwarts, his principal midden of memories_. _

_Just somewhere I felt happy...or at least comfortable...ah, I'll settle for just not being in too much pain...somewhere safe,...safe?_ That would be pushing reason. Severus had never felt safe in his life. That luxury was reserved for the pampered masses, not beaten and bullied kids, spies and killers. He had been hounded.

He couldn't even hide in the forbidden toilet in the dungeons whose lock he'd picked (cheerfully signed 'You Will Die') without that Moaning bloody Myrtle poking her whinging head up his arse.

There must have been something. He flicked through the index bank. Nasty things he'd done, or had done to him took up a large portion, humiliating or humiliated, almost equal, staff relationships- they'd never trusted him. Power and control equalled always by the fear of losing it. It started to dawn on him as he wandered the bleak corridors that it was useless looking, because wherever he had been, underneath the mask of Brilliant Student, Death Eater, Potions Master or Spy he had simply felt deeply uncomfortable. He needed something pure, untainted and he could find nothing.

There had been one look bestowed on him by the Granger girl during one of his last lessons as a Professor... almost... wistful , that had left him a little confused, nicely though, that was the confusing bit, but no, he batted the thought away, too bizarre. The more he thought the clearer he realised with dawning horror that he had unwittingly pioneered the art of Inverse Alchemy, whatever pure gold he may have handled had turned into pure shit.

There was a hole in his soul and it had the outline of Lily Evans. His mind drifted back to Severus in the playground.

..._and she's right here_...

Lily stood sadly regarding the curled figure at her feet. She knew what he was doing and the futility of it, when he understood, well then he would understand.

She had been impatient. After years of watching over this man, here in the place of their shared childhood, it had been too much not to approach him immediately, she had been clumsy.

Lily did the only thing she could.

The Witch with the green eyes softly moved to kneel down behind the clenched, closed form. She rested her cheek to his head and wrapped her arms around the breaking man.

For a while they remained there still and silent before Lily raised her hand to his head.

Severus became aware of the curtains of his hair being stroked, gently as a breeze passing through. He felt the warmth of her body against his back and how her arm curled around his.

..._this'll do... stay like this, nothing else..._

Lily reached up and sank her hands into the thick mass at his temples and drew the black curtains back. He slumped and laid his head back onto her shoulder..._why not... give death a try..._

She rested her chin where his hair parted and whispered,

'Come on Severus, come with me'

A nod.


	4. The other place

A nod

That was good enough. Bracing herself on Severus's shoulders Lily stood up, for a moment she stroked his hair then suddenly grasped him under the armpits and heaved,

'Hup La!'

Severus rose scuffing to his feet. Turning he stared a dark blank look at her that would have struck terror into, well, anyone. It was well practised.

'That was quite unnecessary' he drawled.

'Yeah, I know'

His eyebrow twitched, she smiled,

'Come on Severus lets go to the other place.' Lily turned to go, looking back over her shoulder as Severus hesitated for the time it took to wince, re group himself and gracefully gesture for her to lead on.

He knew where she meant, it was a little out of town in the countryside. There they had sat and talked, mused and watched as season followed season and the old Willow changed its dress throughout the days of their childhood. For seven years they had done this, she had sat and talked with him, about the present, about Hogwarts, Magic and dreams of the future until one day, one minute and that was simply irrevocably no longer possible. One word.

..._Severus Snape you are an arse..._

From the playground, through the broken fence they tracked the path that both knew by heart, every dip twist and drop. Concrete gave onto bare earth, over the broken stile until the path lost definition and became deep green grass. The view opened over wide sprawling fields. Neither Severus nor Lily spoke.

Reaching the special place on the grassy bank by the lake they sat side by side. Severus felt numb. This had all been a bit of a shock. He lay back on the grass, closed his eyes and inhaled the scents of the meadow.

It had been a long time since he had lain under the sky with time on his hands and his mind clear of incessant plans and counterfeit and subterfuge, foul missions and the ever present stench of fear. Looking around, he saw that it was indeed lovely, soft and quiet not a hard edge in sight. Severus realised that he had never seen this place properly at all.

Maybe his childhood vision had been blinkered by the task at hand, that task being survival, maybe he had just developed a taste for slinking around in dank dimly lit places, whatever, it was nice to be out of the dungeons.

_Maybe Hagrid wasn't such an oaf after all..._

He glanced at the woman sitting near, arms around her knees, gazing at the view. She looked so, peaceful, so, at home here. His temporarily atrophied mind whirred into action, _come to think of it...why was she here? Hadn't she said something about waiting for him, if not for vengeance then... what was going on?..._He sat up sharply. Curiosity overwhelmed,

'Lily, why are you here, with me?'

The green eyed witch turned to face him, still and solemn. 'I think you know the answer to that, Severus,'

'Had I known I would not have asked, I personally would have thought that I would be the last person alive or dead that you would wish to meet again'..._after all I set a murdering bastard on your tail..._

Lily looked out into the distance.

'Ah, no, also I've learnt a few things over the years.' She turned back to face him.

'You see on the night I died I hung around for a bit, in the bedroom with Harry, I couldn't just leave him in that place alone you see the spell I cast allowed my spirit to stay there, until he was safe. Then you came along, only moments after I died and that monster was destroyed.' She paused, her eyes searching his, 'What do you remember of that night Severus?'

'I, ah.' Severus hastily flicked his head away to avoid those eyes. This was awful, he'd never spoken of that night and of what it had actually done to him. Closing his eyes he encountered the one horrific image burnt indelibly on his retinas, Lily dead. Hastily he reopened them.

Mortified Severus stealthily waited for a moment,

The silence deepened.

Finding a very interesting scuff mark on his boot, he took a moment to thoroughly inspect it.

Silence resounded.

Finally, hoping to find she'd suddenly miraculously lost interest he raised his head to look at a fascinating cloud and furtively slid his eyes over to glance in her direction, only to see Lily staring at him, frowning. He started.

'As briefly as you like,' she said in manner he supposed was meant to be encouraging, Lily tilted her head.

Severus hastily flicked his eyes away. He really did not want to go into it, but bowing gracefully to what was, judging from her gaze seemingly inevitable Severus continued.

Statue still, not a part of him moved, not even his lips. Grinding out the words through tightly clenched teeth, each syllable a blistering agony.

'I walked into that room, you were there on the floor, dead. I remember pain, searing pain like my soul had been torn, it was like a part of me had died Lily,' he whispered, hoping she couldn't hear, 'with you dead in my arms.'

Lily was delighted, she clapped, 'As a matter of fact, yes you did Sev and that is how come we're here!'

He turned to face her full on, 'What in the name of Molly Weasleys pants...' he gritted through still clenched teeth '...are you talking about? I know, being there as a matter of fact that I carried on living, until that verminous snake finally did the job others were queuing up for, on both sides if truth be told,' he eyed her icily, 'and it was not a happy ride.'

Lily plucked a blade of grass and twirled it in her fingers, 'Oh I'm sure it had its moments.' Her smile had an unnerving touch of the Lovegood oddity about it.

'As the one so generously appointed to live my life I can assure you it didn't' he hissed in disbelief at the perky affront.

'It did Sev, I'm sure because I've been watching. The sad fact is that you in your inimitable style, you missed them'


	5. Cheep

'...you missed them'

Severus Snape stared blankly straight ahead.

'But,' Lily continued knowingly, 'we can chat over that later'

'I can't wait.'..._much later_... thought Severus, feeling more than a little irked.

He was experiencing a kind of posthumous déjà-vu. He had had to endure this type of 'I know something you don't know' singsong caper with Albus for years. He hoped to Merlin this one would not take so long as this time he didn't even have the option of death to curtail the situation.

His mind drifted back to the frosty blue glass. He'd always left Staff parties early, knowing he alone would be the only one not partnering or 'copping' off as Poppy so gracelessly termed it. Not for lack of invitations, he shuddered, he could have rogered his way through the entire faculty, twice, but, the commiserating and disappointed looks over breakfast the next morning always intoned,

'Ah, there goes Severus- the- Perpetually- Unlaid'.

The whole thing always left him a little nauseated.

_But then again... making a pass at Albus just may have gleaned some useful information_...

the Potions Master mused, eyes narrowing,

..._ I could have just neatly shagged the old boy then got down to some serious pillow talk..._

But, he could imagine it, one mention of The Boy Wonder would have had One- Step- Ahead- Albus bustling him- probably still naked- out of the door, pressing boiled sweets into his hand and chirping

'Dear boy do have a sherbet lemon, blood sugar levels, you know', a glinty wink, a little parting wave.

The door would have hurt when it slammed in his face_._

'Severus,' Lily had turned to face him, trying to bring the stony Wizard back.

He looked at her from the corner of his eye, her face was thankfully serious this time.

' It was real, what you felt that night, when you felt your soul had been torn, you see I have learnt that it is not only murder and hatred that can tear a soul, love can also have the same effect. It was not just Old, but Ancient Magic, that no human can invoke or control. A part of you did die Severus, a part of your soul broke off and came here. Look at yourself, do you not notice anything unusual?'

He hadn't really had time too look, things being fraught as they had, but yes, come to mention it he did feel different, familiar, but different, lighter, lither, healthier. She took his arm and led him down the slope to the edge of the lake. Their feet sank a little in the cool mud.

'Look Severus.' He looked.

Reflected in the stillness of the smooth silver surface, Severus saw two figures. Focussing first on Lily his gaze nervously slid to the figure standing next to her. It was him Severus Snape, but different, younger. He hadn't been a one for standing preening before mirrors- much- but he knew that the man on the waters surface was distinctly not the one he remembered dressing that morning. He crouched down, fascinated.

The black eyes looked back at him from a young face, he recognised the young man he used to be. The Wizard had been too long around Magic to question the possibility of what Lily had said, improbable yes, by the Laws he understood but then what did anyone really know, or indeed even guess about the Laws which underlay those?

'So a part of my twenty-one year old soul came here, but why are you here Lily?'

'That is a small part of the whole story Severus.' She looked into his reflected eyes, watching as wonderment dawned, 'Remember I said that I know why things happened as they did. It is a tale that goes long back and involves every one of us.' She took his hand gently in hers 'And you Severus Snape received the hardest hand that fate dealt out'.

He turned to look at her.

'Tell me everything.'

She drew him up, 'Come on, lets get comfy, we don't need sustenance here but it is nice and sociable to share a drink, what would you like?'

The blue frosty glass shimmered, he batted it away.

'A glass of orange juice, perhaps?' he smirked.

'Fresh and the best' she replied. Something in her tone gave Severus the tiniest impression that she was not referring to juice alone.

A long forgotten little bird of hope in his chest awoke and shyly cheeped.


	6. Go on

His eyes had not left the figure of the woman beside him since they left the lake side and clambered up the bank to find two straight backed armchairs set either side of a small wooden table bearing their drinks. The trees spreading over them rustled. A pensive Severus sat back and sipped.

'It does that kind of thing here, you just think and the thought is answered.' Lily said gesturing to their comfortable setting.

'Evidently.'

The Potions Master at the best of times was not inclined to small talk unless used as a handy device to avert unwelcome questions. Although he was deeply fascinated in the present he sorely wanted to get started on the relevant issues. Lily sighed.

'Alright Sev, but get comfortable and relax. This is gonna be some trip' He sank fractionally lower into his chair, his face formed in a look of benign interest yet his eyes remained fixed. Curiosity smouldered. Lily began,

' I mentioned Ancient magic, and this is it,' Lily gestured around ' enveloping us.' The trees rustled, a small breeze sent ripples skittering out over the silver lake.

Severus, silent and still let his eyes swivel briefly to take in his surroundings. He zoned back in on Lily.

'Go on...'

'I'll start with the question of why,' she paused to ponder her explanation. ' I'm sure that yours of all questioning minds has wandered along the path of how and why magic exists in this world for us. Well, I have found out that simply put it is a gift, one given freely and without threat of withdrawal, a beautiful unconditional gift. But the Ancient Magic, the Equilibrium does like to have a bit of order, you know, all things nicely balanced' Lily looked at the Wizard opposite to ensure he was following closely and judging from the intensity of his expression surmised that he most definitely was, to a point,

'Dosn't by any chance happen to resemble the Umbridge woman?' he drawled, he couldn't help it. A sickly smile spreading, 'I'd love a little chat with her.'

'Hmmm , so would I,' Lily rubbed her chin. She continued,

'You see, there is a need for balance, it keeps things running, but a while back a disturbance was noticed, a kind of knot, in the fabric of things. A hard and dark imbalance, unexplainable and indelible.'

His eyebrows rose,

'Go on...'

'At the time it was impossible to find the source of this aberration so all that was possible was to see how this event would ...manifest. And manifest it did.'

Severus's agile mind had guessed but enrapt and muted he let her continue.

'The dark knot manifested as old Tom Riddle,'

'Ah.'

'Yes. The Time Dimension of Ancient Magic is different, one could say slower but that would simplify its beautiful complexity, so for the sake of brevity lets just say that the Tom Riddle phenomenon grew at an astronomical speed, it was lucky that the mode of intervention was thought out and agreed on in the time it was, all legal loop holes closed. The action agreed was a shot in the dark, a hope, an alternative to doing nothing.'

His urge to delve and nit pick was humming, but all in good time, he needed the salient facts now and there would be time to pick nits -and flay them- later, at leisure. Patience, he had storerooms of the stuff.

But.

_...how does she...know all this.?_

He needed, for clarification purposes to ask just one thing...,

Lily saw the question filling his eyes and as his lip twitched she answered it,

'Oh, I have been here for a while now and one cannot sit quietly and listen in this place without coming to understand some interesting things, and anyway,' she added breezily, 'I met the Lawyer.'

'The ...Lawyer.' Severus intoned a little incredulously.

'Yes' Lily answered sincerely,

'Lawyer...?'

'Lawyer'

'Go on...'

' Aspects can manifest here, in a way. I'd been here for a while and just started soaking in the atmosphere of this place, it would be difficult not to. I had settled in and was and thinking about nothing in particular. I simply let myself melt, I...let go. At that moment, in a manner of speaking the Lawyer, well, just came along, to help me understand some things, for when the time came for you to join me fully,'

_Join me...? _The little bird of hope chirped again. Severus maintained a dead pan expression.

Lily laughed, 'It wasn't some giffer in a robe like from the Ministry or anything like that, it was a... feeling, a presence, like somebody tangibly there who visually isn't. Anyway it's hard to explain but I found I could converse, a dialogue where I would ask questions and then simply understand the answer, like a breeze whispered in my mind. You kind of have to be there Sev, it's fabulous. You see for balance, there needs to be resolution for all things, and for this to come about we were owed an explanation, actually I think it felt a bit, guilty too.'

'Guilty.' Severus felt suspicion tickling.

'Er, yes. Now, the question of How.' Lily looked a little uncomfortable, she shifted slightly, looking up into the leafy canopy above, seemingly asking for help.

Little cogs clicked in his mind, he watched her body language closely. From what he saw he just knew he was not going to like this...How. The Potions Masters long hands formed a steeple. He rested his chin on the tip.

'Pray continue'.

There was no other way but just straight out with it. Anyway this was the Severus Snape who read people like books. Dithering around however well meant would only make matters worse. Lily just felt bad that she had to give him some news that without doubt would leave him feeling a little, irritated. Taking a deep breath Lily looked Severus in the eyes and continued her explanation as firmly and decisively as one could in the knowledge that one was about to light the fuse to a bomb, a very large and powerful one, very close by.

'You see there is no legal mode of direct intervention into the world of humans, Magical or Muggle, yet the... lets call it the Equlibrium, the Equilibrium was very uneasy indeed about the effect the aberration could have on the fabric of balance, it was awry, unhealthy, in the first stages of a terrible disease, it portended too much. Oh yes, things would right themselves eventually, the empire would rise and fall and all that, but everything was just so nice before the glich and the Equilibrium really did not want to watch a horror film that lasted for as long as this one potentially threatened. When Riddle rose he delved too deeply, started tapping too greedily into what was not freely offered...and that kind of...really pissed people off.' Lily looked at Severus a little apprehensively.

He noted the look.

'So a plan was flung out an, intervention, er_, a message_,'

..._oh Merlins handbag...A message_...He had guessed.

'Severus, now just stay calm...' Lily hastily continued, holding up her palms at arms length toward him in a futile act of prophylactic placation,

Snapes stillness deepened into the perfect form of absolute motionlessness.

'...and listen...,' Lily continued firmer still, watching warily as the Wizards face perceptibly whitened and began to take on a vague tinge of blue.

A faint sound of thunder arose from the vicinity of Severus Snape.

'to...the...reasons,'... She had been expecting something like this but still it was a little unnerving.

The thunder was now swiftly gaining velocity. His lips drew back.

'Severus...listen! '_...oh dear..._

A thick mass of dark noise boomed chunnelling upwards and blasted its way through Snapes lividly clenched teeth. The Wizard shot to his feet, long white fingers clawing for the throat of an invisible enemy.

Severus Snape exploded.

'_It was that, that ...fucking woman, wasn't_ _it!_ That fucking..._ Prophesy_,' he spat the word he had come to hate more than any other in existence, 'I knew it, that old fraud, oh I just knew there was something...odd about the whole _bloody _thing, that frazzly bloody bottle top _bitch _just blurting something like _that_ out...and me just _happening _to be there,' he raised his fists into the air. White knuckles punched a piece of thin air very hard.

Snape howled.

'You ..._U_tter... _B_loody..._Bastards!_'

Lily sat transfixed in muted horror and waited for the maelstrom of Snape to calm down.

The Potions Master had despised Trelawney ever since that night in the Three Broomsticks and had been horrified to learn that she was to be on the teaching staff alongside him. He had wanted to murder her in cold blood before she could mess things up any more but the Headmaster had fore-guessed his desire and had unsurprisingly strictly forbidden it. As Albus mildly put it,

'You ask how I could have someone like her around in a school, well Severus every other teacher- past and present- has been enquiring the same of me, regarding _you_.'

Snape had to concede that Dumbledore had had a point.

Snape was shaking. He had not had an outburst like that since that night in Dumbledores office, the night that Lily had died_... Keep her safe my arse_... He felt a little embarrassed. Yet the cool Wizard still calculatingly present in eye of his storm knew that this was the moment of truth, the enlightenment he had been searching for, for all of his teaching existence. On hindsight it had indeed struck him as odd, a little _too coincidental_ for that night to have panned out the way it did.

Utilising all his well practiced powers of self control the Potions Master brought himself back from the brink of spontaneous combustion. It was obvious he was going to get some meaty answers, and boy was he ravenous. Severus swiftly drained his mind and body of emotion. He stilled, sat back down and folded his hands neatly in his lap.

Nonetheless, it was a shock. He took a sip of juice. The result of his overhearing this...message, and subsequently scarpering straight off, full of excitement and self importance to inform his master was that the woman sitting near had been murdered. What a bloody fool..._ Oh what a bloody mess. _

He looked over to face her, his eyes two dark miserable tunnels.

Lily sat quietly looking out over the vista of her own thoughts. It too was hard for her going over these things, the bare bones of the situation. She had long understood and accepted the whys and wherefores, the absolute necessity of what had happened for the Bigger Picture, The Greater Good, yet she had never talked about it. On the individual human scale of those it involved what had happened was simply unutterably heartbreaking.

Severus watched as a well of tears arose in Lilys eyes and fell in tiny rivulets either side of her nose.

'Chik...' pinked his chest. The split widened.

Severus Snape did something that he had never before done in his life, hauling himself up he crossed leadenly over to the weeping woman. Crouching down at her feet Severus took both her hands in his. They looked at each other for a long moment.

He spoke the words that for half a lifetime he had longed to share with her. Quietly and simply,

'Lily, I am so, so sorry.'


	7. Strangest, saddest

'Lily, I am so, so sorry.' He had said it, at last.

Severus Snape had spent his post Lily lifetime paying for what he'd blindly done, but to have the incredible chance to say those simple words to this woman was a blessing of closure, a catharsis, it was welcome pain. The leaden weight he never knew he'd been carrying slid from his back.

'I know Severus love, I know.' Lily said softly. A tear loosed itself and tumbled to her chin, it fell splashing onto his white hand. She reached up to stroke a strand of black hair from his thin pale face, held his cheek and with her thumb traced his eyebrow, smoothing the twisted arch. 'Oh sweetheart, the remorse stops here, now, do you hear me, it was not your fault. Nothing was of your choosing.'

Severus closed his eyes and nodded, slowly releasing his breath as more of his heavy armour slipped.

_...Love?...Sweetheart?..._Severus whomped the little bird before it could cheep.

Severus, softened by Lilys gentle acceptance sighed,

'You do know everything, don't you.'

Lily nodded, she swatted her tears away and shaking her head to clear her thoughts said,

'There was no definite plan Sev, it was coincidence that you were listening at that door the night Trelawney was there with Albus, she was just wanting a job, the same as you were. Sometimes paths converge and the course of history pivots. The Ancient Magic, Equilibrium, Fate, call it what you will, just saw its chance to avert a terrible thing from continuing, and took it. It created time. Time enough for Albus to gather and re group. It also created Harry.' Lily stroked his nose again, 'Severus you were dealt a terrible hand, the worst that could happen to a living being.'

'But Lily, _I_ continued living, _you_ died...and...'

She stopped him, laying a finger gently to his mouth,

'You should know there are worse things than death. Goodness Sev, you had to live believing that you had killed the only thing that you had ever loved.' Lily seemed quite fascinated in the curve of his lip, she drew her hand away, a little abashed. Severus watched this and paused, he blinked before admitting,

'I wanted to die.' He really had too. There was nothing like the feeling that the soul of your being had been cut out with a blunt spoon to bring on morbid sentiments. He had never recovered, survived yes, but 'living' was not an applicable verb to describe his existence.

Lily took a strand of his hair and tenderly tucked it behind his ear,

'I know, well my part of you did die, but the rest of you didn't, and that was because of Albus. You know, I believe Albus knew that something hugely important had happened, intuitively, he could recognise a gift when he saw, heard one. He guessed that something had happened with Harry, not exactly what, but I think that he had a fair idea. He also knew that that monster could and would return. Albus would have been pretty set that you were to live. You see Sev, Dumbledore too lived with the remorse of having been effective in the death of one he dearly adored. He knew for himself the drive that remorse and desire for redemption can instil in a person, and with that drive instilled in _you_ Severus, the resulting energy would be formidable. He recognised that in the act of killing me Voldemort had unwittingly created the most lethal weapons in Albus' arsenal, _you_.

The exhausted Wizard leant back and sat on the ground.

'Yes, yes he did. I would never have stopped.'

'And you didn't, not of your own volition. No one else could have done what you did Severus, absolutely _no one_. With your past, your brilliance, your unique range and capacity, you were marked, primed and set in motion. My death was necessary for this to happen. It is all so hideous, believe me I know, but we are talking of the bigger picture Severus. I am happy to have died to bring an end to that terror.'

'Yes. I understand.' Numbly, blankly Severus let his breath go, turned to sit on the grass beside her and resting his chin on his knuckles looked out over the fields. He had spent his entire life as a pawn to one master or another, why wouldn't it go this far, the universe itself had pulled his string.

But really he had been dealt a corker.

Lily smiled sadly.

'It really was neat little design, the best always are, simple, ingenious and extraordinarily effective. Just a few well appointed words, amazing,' she reached out and playfully shook his shoulder, 'Oh God Sev, I know this is hard, but just think, without that missive and the resulting effect, we would not be sitting here now, together.' The Witch with the green eyes smiled a little shyly.

Severus was a little taken aback. He took his time thinking it through, yes it was true that the events however astonishingly grim did lead to this, but what he could not fathom was _why_ Lily was here. They had had no contact whatsoever since the night they had talked outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, and there on the stairs of Gryffindor Tower Lily had turned and walked out of his life forever, it was not her parting words but the ensuing feeling of utter desolation that echoed in his nightmares and had him waking up sweating.

The Wizard rubbed his hands over his drawn and miserable face. He drew a deep breath and asked,

'Why _are _you here Lily, why did you come here _with me?_'

'Because I wanted to,' Lily stated simply, 'Severus, I so wanted to, the part of my soul that always loved you split off and came here to look over and wait for you.' Lily Evans was looking searchingly at the Wizard crouched in front of her, looking for any hint of understanding. She found none, but caught the glinting dawn of...something.

_...what the...? _Snape gasped,

'But you walked away from me Lily, I tried but you were having none of it, you would not even listen to me...and,' he was just getting started on his moan when Lily started vehemently shaking her head and held up her hand in an unmistakable command, she waved her index finger in front of his nose,

'Now you stop _right there_, Severus Snape. How _dare_ you accuse _me_ of walking away, when you'd been doing just that to me for years. How the hell do you think it made me feel to watch you waltzing away down a murky path that I could never follow ...did you _ever_ stop to consider _my_ feelings, what that did to _ME?_'

Lily _was _nut busting furious this time, looking straight at the startled Wizard she yelled,

'_You_ left _me_ Severus Snape!'

_...Oh Shite_... He had never considered this.

'But why did you not say anything?' he faltered. The Potion Masters face was a mess of horrified confusion.

'God Severus, why did _you_ not say anything, you never confided in me, I had no idea how you really felt until I saw you holding my dead body.'

'But, but, I just never...imagined you'd ever...' He became extremely pale as the resounding claxon of enlightenment whanged through his body.

'Oh love, I know that now. But we could never have been together anyhow, But Ye Gods I tried Severus, I _tried_ but no, you just wanted to hang out impressing those awful excremental pals of yours, dead set on the mayhem and murder that was to come. So much potential and you had to become such an _arsehole. _ What would I have done while you were out blasting Muggles? Do you really think I could have hung around all cozy girly with Bellatrix, drinking schnapps and discussing the latest torture technique? No, I had to finally concede defeat and let you go, that day under the beach tree was the end. It wasn't that one word Sev, it was oh, everything, years. I had to decide for my own safety to step back, permanently. I did not want to but Severus I could never have followed where you were headed, it really scared me, you were becoming really scary.'

She looked at him checking that he was taking this all in. He was. She continued,

'Do you really think it would have felt safe for me to share my feelings with you? For you it may have seemed normal practise, but dark nasty stuff just isn't what a lot of people fancy for breakfast.'

Wow, he had never guessed she had ever been interested, this was a revelation. It was just that his plan of trying to impress her with his prowess in the Dark Arts was sorely misjudged.

It had taken the death of Lily for him to understand the reality of what his damaged mind had been directed towards and he was not proud of it. Snape had taken time to consider his compatriot Death Eaters and had not liked what he saw, every one poisoned with dull witted prejudice. Against his real feelings he had accepted this grim pre-requisite for Death Eater gang membership as the cost of acceptance and approval.

It had proved to be too high a price. It could kill. And death hurt the ones left behind, really fucking badly. Severus could never before have conceived just how deep the human heart could feel, how the grief of irredeemable loss, guilt, remorse and the frustration of utter impotence could culminate in one life long blinding silent howl of agony.

A flash of clarity and he saw it all, two paths leading in entirely opposing directions. It could never have been any other way.

She was gonna let him have it after all, not for killing her, but for not loving her enough.

'You wonder why I chose James, Sev?' Noticing how he winced at the mention of this hated name, she snapped, 'Well shut up and listen. It was because he was the absolute opposite of you, there were no comparable features and also nil chance of running into you at social gatherings. I could not be reminded of you in any way, it would have been too painful. Of course I do love James, but I had set myself on being alone and he just wooed me over and that was that.'

Lily looked at the man leaning back on his hands, his chin on his chest in absolute despair.

She softened, looked into the sky breathed deeply and let it go. She felt her shell of anger crack.

All had been said, grievances aired and now there was clean pure space. He had suffered enough, and so had she.

Lily lifted herself and knelt down in front of him. Stroking away his black hair she took his face.

'Look at me.' Taking his chin Lily lightly tipped up the broken Wizards face to look into his astounded glittering eyes. He felt emerald green running, prickling over his skin.

'But he wasn't you Severus, you always fascinated me, since the day we met, you were so sharp, quick, focused, even your name... Severus,' holding his name with her lips she savoured the word, '...Severus...There are alot of James and Nigels and Nevilles but only one Severus.'

Lily searched deeply into the blackness of his gaze,

'Severus Snape, you have the deepest, strangest, saddest eyes I have ever seen and I sat here and waited for the day when I would once again see them open.'


	8. Over and over

'Oh Lily.'

She looked at him a moment longer then touching her fingertip between his eyebrows sweetly trickled her finger down the length of his nose. She rolled her head from side to side, unclenching the tight bunched muscles. Lily felt the tension of ages shiver and release. All that needed saying had been said she had at long last unfurled what had been so long folded close and silent.

It is true that love left unspoken can taint a life. The fear of revealing the hearts desire can condemn a person to exist with the faint knawing discomfort of not knowing, the nibbling itch of possibilities untasted. The rat of omission will always skitter not far away from waking thoughts. And asleep- when longing has free reign over the vulnerable, sensual mind- with the full bursting baggage of dreams will come the agony of having been afraid to say a few heart stopping life changing words.

This was where she wished to be now with words spoken, with Severus, the most powerful and most feared desire of her life.

She gently scratched him behind the ear and sighed,

'Come on, I'm stiff, I need to move, lets walk a little.'

Severus stunned and silent rose painfully. Mortification and excitement battled for prominence in his chest. The little bird of hope chirped and was whomped, re chirped and re whomped in quick succession. This was a day of Revelations. Only hours from dying his whole life was being opened up before him like a rather badly plotted farce. He marvelled bitterly at how the follies of misunderstanding, buckling insecurity and his sharing the common and simple difficulty in just doing life had converged to shape his existence and add in disadvantageous mistiming and that shape became one damn ugly bit of public sculpture. What a mess. _Still, It Is Over_. He caught his breath_, It Is Over. _The beauty and finality of this truth tinkled his nerves from the tip of his head to his toes. Severus shook the hair from his face and breathed deeply and freely. Turning to the woman by his side and bowing his headthe Potions Master offered his arm and smiling at the graceful gesture Lily took his elbow_...Severus_...

Slowly and stepping in time they walked.

Severus was quickly compiling, analyzing and filing all the extraordinary information.

From his childhood to his death, considering the situations, the characters involved and their effect things could never have been other than as they were. He could see how the damage inflicted upon him by carelessness had the effect of causing pain and suffering to many others through him. This was the end. Against almost insurmountable odds he had done his job and played his part, consummately well. And now the performance was over, so on with the show.

The grass was lush and deep green, the trees in full leaf and alive to the wind, the air warm and soft. Severus feeling lighter than he ever had in his life, felt himself ...melt a little.

'Lily,' he ventured, 'I was not, ah, patient with your son. Necessary it was to maintain a certain... measure of appearance, however I will admit to despising the boy.'

Lily replied,

'You did I know but you saved his life and that is what counts to me, equally as you looked out for him he in his lively way made your task very difficult and vexing.' She smiled askance,

'Whatever your methods and reasons what we are left with is the result. Its over, you are what you were made to be, it was how it was. Anyway you were vile to everyone, staff and students alike.'

His eyes slid over to mark her expression. From the look of it she was trying not to laugh and it wasn't working.

Severus smirked.

Drawing to a halt Lily looked out over the fields. The breeze blew through her hair flicking it back over her shoulder turned and gathered him with her green eyes.

'Severus, the past is done and what we have now... is, just... _Now_.'

Now, new start. He suddenly remembered that that was what he had wished for as he held Lily on the night that she and part of him had died. He had wished to turn back the clock of his life and start again from the very first awkward time they had met, there in the playground. And his wish had been granted. The past fell away and he let it go with grace. Severus melted and finally let go. The mausoleum had crumbled.

He turned towards her. One word, he shaped his mouth around it, feeling how it fit perfectly on his tongue,

'Lily.'

Letting her hand slip from his elbow to his shoulder she turned fully to face him. He sharply caught breath as tiny shivers again ran the length of his body.

Severus met her. Firmly taking her free hand into his they stood a long time just gazing mesmerised at each other.

Time stilled.

He knew what to do.

The Potions Master did then what he had always most dearly wished. Shyly he inclined his head a little and as she lifted up her beautiful green eyes,

Severus Snape kissed Lily Evans.

Time stopped.

Lily Evans kissed Severus Snape.

The air shimmered in silver as the world dissolved into eyes and lips and tongues and fingertips.

They kissed.

Although in this Ancient Place the seasons passed slow, in the world of their past the Winter turned into Spring, crocus and bluebell bulbs shivered into life and broke the hard earth, leaves grew and blossom burst. Into Summer and the wheat turned from green to gold in the fields, in orchards apples blushed, red berries softened on the stem. Into Autumn and fruit fell in the morning mists, leaves crisped rustling to the ground. Returned to Winter...and over and over.

Every kiss, soft and shy, every stolen peck, every deep silencing gaze, every salted passionate reeling clash that ever Lily and Severus would have shared had life been more kind, all resounded curling and shuddering into one lifetime long scintillating sweet embrace.

The trees sighed as the breeze hushed all sound.

Justice had prevailed, all dues had been paid, the Balance restored.

The Lawyer was very pleased.


	9. Epilogue

**Here is a little nod to all fellow SS/HG shippers, I hope you have enjoyed this tale. If you have reviewed, I thank you, if not then I would love to read your comments.**

**Usual disclaimer, If only I could lay claim to these characters... due respect to Ms JKR.**

***SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS***

**Epilogue.**

Severus and Lily glanced at each other. They were sipping cool drinks and feeling rather pleased.

The corners of his mouth curled upwards a little as curiosity tingled.

'So, I am curious Lily, I would very much like to know, where is he, me, the other part of my soul? I guess yours is with, ah... Potter, but where am I?'

Lily looked over his shoulder.

'Turn around Severus.'

Flicking his head he turned and was startled to see a tall black clad figure silently gliding across the grass towards them. They both rose to their feet.

Severus Senior halted abruptly a few yards away. He spoke in the deep voice Severus remembered owning not long ago. A portrait of cool composure the tall figure bowed slightly before greeting them politely,

'Lily,'

'Severus.'

'Severus.'

'Er,Severus'

Snape Senoirs eyes glittered,

'Getting along nicely I see.'

Lily blushed.

Both Severuses smirked.

In a tone of mild disinterest Severus Senior clipped,

'You will have been wondering of my whereabouts. Well, I can inform you that I have been somewhat intriguingly occupied, you see... I have been attending to the soul of another, ah, unexpected refugee in this apparent haven of unrequited love.'

Lily furtively glanced at Severus Junior, did he know? From his look of annoyed bewilderment the answer was no. Nudging him she whispered,

'I told you that you had missed some moments Sev.'

Focusing on a particle of air Severus Junior stared straight ahead.

To avoid his younger self further unnecessary embarrassment, the Potions Master Senior swiftly continued,

'_It seems_ I had unwittingly, but quite gratifyingly for a man of my age, attracted the heart of a certain young Witch.'

'Really?' Severus remarked rather pleased.

'Ah,..._Really_. You see when I died a part of her did too, it appears that rather, ah, liking me she had been watching closely and had for a while surmised my role. She returned to my body after seeing some...things... in the pensieve and was...upset. However, she will be well attended, by myself, until it is time for her to join me fully. Besides, I have spoken with the Lawyer and we came to an, ah, agreement that that event will be not be for a little while yet, you see, she deserves a good life, and I have _made sure_ that she receives one.'

Intimately aware of his own subtle arts of persuasion and golden loophole nifflering Severus Junior did not doubt this. The Potion Masters exchanged a knowing smirk.

'You spoke with the Lawyer, already?' Lily was aghast.

'Indeed, it didn't take long for me to, ah, check this place out. I have learnt some very interesting things.' He concluded mildly. He relaxed his shoulders and raising an eyebrow surveyed the air around him.

The breeze grumbled.

Snape Junior was rather impressed with himself.

Severus Senior continued,

'After a little, shall we say...negotiation the Lawyer felt..._inclined_ to introduce me to the Accountants...'

'What, the who?' Lily was gaping now

Severus Senior continued acidly,

'...as the Lawyer keeps the Laws holding firm the accountants are the aspects of Ancient magic that check the balance of the power, _and I discovered_ that someone in that dreary department had, using their terminology, been _cooking the books_ and judging from the size of the resultant imbalance, quite extensively. It would seem that in every realm, extant or otherwise, there will always be a noisome element that can _just not leave well alone_. Suffice it to say that I am now in a position to investigate the matter, and to... implement... any, ah, necessary changes in administration.' He glared at the thin air. From the corner of one eye he sharply glanced at his younger counterpart,

'These matters should keep me occupied until Ms Granger arrives.'

_Granger!_ The corner of his mouth surreptitiously curled. So he had not misinterpreted the look he received from her in that last lesson. He mused, who would have predicted that he, Severus Snape, the Wizarding worlds Unpopular No 1, would have ended up with _both_ of the cleverest witches of their respective ages. From the smug look on his face Severus concluded that Snape Senior strongly concurred.

Lily smiled.

'Well Severus, please keep us informed of matters as they unfold, if you would.' Lily looked at the figure of the older Potions Master. She had never personally met this powerful, striking elegant man, only watched him from afar. A warm little shiver caused the hair on her nape to prickle. This guy really was quite...something. She looked at the young man to her side and felt very impressed at how he had turned out.

'Certainly.' With a curt nod the older Wizard made motion to go, but paused and sliding his eyes between them, glared,

'Be..._happy._' He shyly hissed. Turning smartly on his heel the Potions Master glided away.

After a pause of mutual astonishment Severus and Lily turned to each other,

'Death is indeed full of surprises, Sev.'

'So it would seem.'

Severus Snape bowed his head and offered his arm to Lily Evans,

'Shall we go and investigate further?'

She took her Gentlemans arm.

They started walking.

**SSSSSSSSS**

**If it pleases you, do review. Thankyou.**


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